Balancing Act: Although a high compression setting will let you fit more images on your media card, it will reduce the quality of your images. It will increase the number of blotchy patches of color or “jagged” looking images with low resolution. (See our resolution page for more information.)
ISO Values: On most digital cameras there is an option to select ISO values of 100, 200 or 400 (this figure relates to film speed in different traditional film cameras). As your ISO value increases your camera will become more light sensitive. Remember to increase your ISO when you want to take a picture in low lighting and a flash is not appropriate, for instance at a theatrical performance.
The Two Step: An automatic camera isn’t designed to work immediately by pressing the shutter button. Instead, press the shutter button halfway down, and wait for the camera to signal that everything is OK (usually a light or a beep). This allows the camera to focus, meter and calculate your white balance before giving you the OK to press the button all the way down to take the shot.
Indoor Flash: Over the years, you’ve probably seen photos taken indoors with a pitch-black background behind an overexposed subject. This is because the light from a typical camera reaches only about eight to 10 feet. If you want to avoid or reduce this problem, you will have to make some manual adjustments. Try setting your film speed to ISO 100, your aperture (F-stop) to F5.6, and the shutter speed to 1/15 of a second. Hold your camera as steady as possible. (The camera will be at a slow shutter speed so holding the camera steady reduces the chance of blurring the backgound.)
IF YOUR CAMERA DOESN’T HAVE A MANUAL MODE, almost all consumer models offer a nightime or slow synchro flash mode. This is often indicated by a cresent moon icon or stars over a mountain. The mode is designed for portraits at twilight, but you can use it indoors to open up or see the background better.
First off, be sure to purchase a camera with a megapixel rating, if the camera you’re looking at doesn't have this type of rating, it probably will only yield thumbnail shots that don’t reproduce well on paper or in print. When looking at cameras with megapixel ratings, keep the following information in mind.
A 1.2 megapixel camera will yield a finished non-cropped file capable of printing a 2.25 x 3.25-inch print or printed image. A 2.3 megapixel camera will yield a finished non-cropped file capable of printing a 5 x 7-inch print or printed image. A 3.2 megapixel camera will yield a finished non-cropped file capable of printing an 7 x 9-inch print or printed image.
All digital camera zoom factors are not created equal. Of course, the purchaser will need to consider what type of zoom factor will be needed to satisfy the user’s individual needs. Cameras with larger zoom factors cost more money but may be worth it for your needs. There are two types of zoom factors. The first is called optical zoom and is just that. It uses the camera’s optics to enlarge the information, making it a true zoom without quality loss. This type of zoom is favored over the second. The second is called digital zoom, which takes the information that’s gathered at the digital shot and stretches it to fill the cropped area you’ve asked for by digitally zooming. This method is less preferred because it’s not a true zoom (using optics), therefore, you will experience some quality loss. Try to use the zoom to size the shot rather than crop the image after it is taken. Cropping the digital shot as little as possible will ensure quality digital images for print.
Next, look at how many F-stop and ISO settings are built into the camera you’re looking to purchase. Just like film cameras, F-stop and ISO settings will make your camera perform better in low light and action-shot conditions. Cameras that have these features available in fully-automatic, semi-automatic and full-manual-operation modes, so don’t think you have to take a photography class to operate them. The point-and-shoot cameras are compact and easy to use but generally don’t have multiple f-stop settings and therefore don’t take as good of a picture as those that do.Manufacturers offer different equipment packages. Make sure to purchase after-market extras like rechargeable batteries and a charger, removable USB card reader for your PC or Mac and a larger additional media card. The type of card provided with the camera depends on the manufacturer of that camera. There are many different types of cards or stick media. Consider getting a larger capacity media of the same type, i.e., a 3.1 megapixel Olympus camera will probably come with a 16 megabyte smartmedia card. Think about purchasing a 64 or 128 megabyte card as your primary card so you can fit more photos on it and use the 16 meg card as your back-up. And, of course, a camera bag to protect the camera.
